Kirk Wins McGladrey Classic On St. Simons

Chris Kirk holds the trophy after winning the McGladrey Classic on Sunday.

To watch Chris Kirk's post-tournament interview, click here.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) -- Chris Kirk knew he was doing enough right Sunday at Sea Island to win a tournament that means so much to him. The former Georgia Bulldog just didn't realize it would take something that went so wrong for Briny Baird.

Tied for the lead in the McGladrey Classic, Kirk was on the other side of the 18th fairway trying to envision an approach that would cover the flag and set up a birdie chance for the win. Those plans changed when Baird, with the ball below his feet in a fairway bunker, topped a 4-iron and watched his ball roll 90 yards and into a hazard.

Kirk played for par, closed with a 4-under 66 for a 1-shot victory, and became the first player from Sea Island to win the McGladrey Classic -- even if the 28-year-old moved to Atlanta a few months ago after six years in this tiny slice of paradise.

He received the trophy from tournament host Davis Love III, his hero when he first took the game seriously.

"To come here to Sea Island, which is a place that I love and cherish so much, and Davis's tournament, it just an unbelievable thing," Kirk said. "Davis was kind of my guy when I was 12 and 13, really starting to play golf. He was my favorite player, and he's turned from being my idol to sort of a mentor and good friend. So I'm a very lucky person to be in that situation, and to win his tournament really means a lot to me."

The victory sends Kirk to the Masters for the first time and to the Tournament of Champions at Kapalua to start 2014.

Kirk's win highlighted a strong weekend by the former Bulldogs. Brian Harman was 10th at 8-under, Brendon Todd was 16th at 7-under and Kevin Kisner was 20th at 6-under. Harris English, Erik Compton and Russell Henley also were in the money during the weekend, while Hudson Swafford missed the cut.

Baird is now 0-for-365 in his PGA Tour career, and it looked for the longest time that he finally would win. Baird went from a two-shot deficit to a one-shot lead in two holes on the back nine, and he was on the verge of seizing control on the par-5 15th.

Baird hit his approach to 40 feet for a chance at eagle. Kirk was between clubs and pulled his hybrid into the water left of the green, and then he slammed his wedge into the turf when he chipped weakly, leaving him a long putt for par. It looked as if Baird would lead by two shots, maybe three, with three holes to play.

Instead, he ran his eagle putt 4 feet by the cup and three-putted for par, and Kirk holed his 20-foot par putt to stay only one shot behind.

"That kept me in it," Kirk said.

He caught Baird with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, setting up one last surprise on a back nine filled with them.

Tim Clark closed with a 62 and was on the practice range, holding out slim hope for a playoff if Kirk and Baird made bogey on the 18th. Only one of them faltered, and it was shocking. Baird had a tough lie in the sand, and he felt his left foot slip. Even so, he felt he should have been able to pull off the shot. It wasn't even close.

Kirk finished at 14-under 266, and his last tournament of 2013 came with plenty of perks -- the biggest a trip to Augusta National, which he only has played when Georgia alumni used to invited the golf team over once a year.

And his parents get a new photo for their mantle. The one they have is from a decade ago, when Kirk finished his sophomore year in high school and played in the Canon Cup north of Chicago. It was the first time he met Love, and his parents still have a photo of their son with sideburns and braces.

"It's a pretty funny picture now," Kirk said.

Now he can give them a photo of Kirk and Love posing with the trophy on the 18th green of the Seaside course at Sea Island, where Kirk had lived for the last six years until moving back to Atlanta because his wife is due next month with their second child. He still has his home at Sea Island, and it felt like the home with a large gallery waiting for him around the 18th green.

Garber Named National Player Of The Week

Georgia's Joey Garber has been named the National Player of the Week by Golfweek following his performance in The Invitational at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.

Garber, a senior from Petoksey, Mich., garnered medalist honors for the first time in his career. He finished at 9-under 207, including a tournament-record and career-best 6-under 66 in the second round. (The tournament mark was eclipsed in the third round by teammate Lee McCoy's 7-under 65.) 

The victory capped what was a strong fall for Garber. He came in second in the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup, fourth in the Carpet Capital Collegiate and 19th in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship. Garber finished the fall with a scoring average of 69.75.

• The PGA TOUR will be stopping on St. Simons Island this week as the McGladrey Classic will be held on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club -- the site of the 2014 SEC Championship.

Scheduled to participate Thursday through Sunday are Erik Compton, Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, Hudson Swafford and Brendon Todd. Justin Bolli and Ryuji Imada are listed among the alternates.

Garber Earns Medalist Honors At Kiawah

Joey Garber (right) receives his award for claiming medalist honors at The Invitational at The Ocean Course.

Georgia's Joey Garber earned medalist honors for the first time in his career on Tuesday at The Invitational at The Ocean Course in Kiawah Island, S.C.

The senior from Petoskey, Mich., finished at 9-under 207 and with a 3-shot cushion. On Monday, Garber signed for a tournament-record and career-best 6-under 66 on the strength of 10 birdies.

"The birdies came in bunches on Monday and then I just tried to keep the momentum going today," Garber said. "I was patient throughout the tournament, and that really paid off. I'm pretty proud of the way I played this week."

The victory capped what was a strong fall for Garber. He came in second in the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup, fourth in the Carpet Capital Collegiate and 19th in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship. Garber finished the fall with a scoring average of 69.75.

Garber joined the Bulldogs in January of 2012 as a transfer from Michigan and had recorded two top-10s and five top-20s entering this season. In two years with the Wolverines, Garber had four top-10s and six top-20s.

"Joey is playing the way you expect a senior captain to play," said Georgia's Chris Haack, who now has coached 37 medalists. "He's been fairly consistent and he's put himself in contention that way. He is a guy who demands so much of himself. It was good to see him put it all together this week and get the win."

Garber's tournament-record 6-under 66 lasted just one day as Georgia sophomore Lee McCoy signed for a 7-under 65 on Tuesday. McCoy's loop, which included eight birdies and one bogey, also established his new career best, eclipsing the 5-under 67 in the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup.

Behind McCoy, the No. 8 Bulldogs fired a tournament-record 5-under 283 on Tuesday. (Garber's totals did not count toward the team score as he was designated as an individual before the tournament began.) The previous single-round mark was 4-under 284 by Notre Dame in 2010.

Georgia wound up third at 12-over 876, just five shots behind South Florida (871). 

McCoy wound up fifth at 2-under 214, senior Michael Cromie was 10th at 2-over 218 and junior Nicholas Reach was 15th at 6-over 222. Senior Keith Mitchell missed a top-20 finish by one stroke at 8-over 224, while junior Sam Straka came in at 23-over 239.

The Bulldogs had a first, a second, two thirds and a fourth this fall.

"It was definitely a good way to finish the fall," Haack said. "It would have been easy for our guys to pack it in since we were 12 shots out of first after the second round, but that's not the way we're made. Our guys think they can win every time we tee it up. To say we can't wait for the spring to get started would be an understatement."

The Bulldogs will begin the spring portion of the schedule Feb. 23-25 at the Puerto Rico Classic.

• In the PGA TOUR's CIMB Classic at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, Harris English finished seventh at 10-under. Chris Kirk took 25th at 4-under, followed by Bubba Watson in 31st at 3-under and Russell Henley in 61st at 4-over.

• Watson will play this week in the World Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, China.

• The PGA TOUR's next event will be the McGladrey Classic on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club -- the site of the 2014 SEC Championship.

Bulldogs To Cap Fall At Kiawah Island

The No. 5-ranked Georgia men's golf team will conclude the fall portion of its schedule Sunday through Tuesday in The Invitational at The Ocean Course at the Kiawah Island (S.C.) Resort.

The Bulldogs will use a lineup of seniors Michael Cromie and Keith Mitchell, juniors Nicholas Reach and Sam Straka, and sophomore Lee McCoy. Senior Joey Garber will compete as an individual.

Joining the Bulldogs and tournament host College of Charleston will be Charleston Southern, Florida, Francis Marion, Georgia Southern, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Rice, South Alabama, South Florida and Western Carolina.

The Bulldogs have a first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finish in their previous fall events. Georgia's victory came at the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup in September.

"We're looking for a strong finish to the fall," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We've had some success and we've been building on all the positives. We are expecting a challenging tournament. Not only will we be facing some good teams, but the Ocean Course has the reputation of being a tough track, especially when the wind blows. We'll have to be patient and focused during this one."

Results will be available here.

• ESPNU will air a one-hour highlight show Friday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. from the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup. Not only did the Bulldogs claim the team title, but they helped the SEC sweep the ACC in match play events.

• The PGA TOUR's stop this week is the CIMB Classic at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. Chris Kirk, Harris English, Russell Henley and Bubba Watson are in the field.

• In last week's Shriner's Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, Brendon Todd placed 12th at 14-under, while Hudson Swafford was 30th at 10-under, Kirk was 36th at 9-under, English was 40th at 8-under and Brian Harman was 48th at 6-under. Henley, Erik Compton and Kevin Kisner missed the cut.

Bulldogs Place Third At Crooked Stick

The No. 6-ranked Georgia men's golf team finished third in the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate in Carmel, Ind.

The Bulldogs had a final-round 8-over 296 to wind up at 17-over 881. Arkansas took team honors at 11-over 875.

Junior Nicholas Reach finished fifth individually at 4-over 220, eight shots behind Arkansas' Sebastian Cappelan (212). Senior Michael Cromie and junior Sam Straka placed eighth at 5-over 221, while senior Keith Mitchell was 12th at 6-over 222 and sophomore Lee McCoy came in 17th at 8-over 224.

Playing as an individual, freshman Greyson Sigg wound up at 13-over 229.

"We want to win every time we play, so we are disappointed that we didn't close as strong as we would have liked," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "Our guys know that you have to come ready to play for all 54 holes, and this will certainly reinforce that. All five guys in the lineup finished in the top 20, so that's definitely a positive. We'll build on the good things and get ready for the next one."

The Bulldogs will close the fall portion of their schedule Oct. 27-29 in the Kiawah Invitational.

• In the season-opening Frys.com Open in California, Brian Harman paced the Bulldogs as he came in seventh at 13-under. Brendon Todd finished at 8-under, while Kevin Kisner was 7-under. Hudson Swafford and Erik Compton missed the cut.

The Shriners Hospital for Children Open will be played Thursday through Sunday in Las Vegas. Scheduled to play are Compton, Harris English, Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Kisner, Swafford and Todd. Listed among the alternates are Justin Bolli and Ryuji Imada.

Bulldogs To Resume 2013-14 Schedule Next Week In Crooked Stick Intercollegiate

The Georgia Bulldogs will be back in action Monday and Tuesday in the Crooked Stick Intercollegiate at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.

The Bulldogs' lineup will be seniors Michael Cromie and Keith Mitchell, juniors Nicholas Reach Sam Straka, and sophomore Lee McCoy. while freshman Greyson Sigg will participate as an individual.

Joining the Bulldogs and host Indiana are Arkansas, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, Florida, Florida State, IUPUI, Kansas, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Purdue, TCU and Toledo.

The teams will tee off on Monday at 8:45 a.m. and will play 36 holes. Tuesday's tee times will start at 9 a.m. The Bulldogs will be paired with Indiana and Florida State in the first two rounds.

• Georgia is coming off a fourth-place finish in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship in Macon. The Bulldogs had a three-day total of 11-under 853, 16 in back of host Mercer's 837. 

Mitchell finished sixth individually at 6-under 210, three shots behind the tri-medalists. Reach was ninth at 3-under 211, McCoy was 12th at 4-under 212 and senior Joey Garber was 19th at 2-under 214.

• Garber is featured in the Red and Black student newspaper today. Click here to read the article.

• Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton won the inaugural PGA TOUR Courage Award on Wednesday.

The PGA Tour Courage Award is for players who have overcome extraordinary adversity to make meaningful contributions to golf.

"It's a very special moment for me," Compton said. "When you guys called to let me know that I was awarded the Courage Award, I actually walked around the block and had a moment to myself. I was very emotional."

It's hard to find a better candidate than Compton. He was diagnosed at age 9 with viral cardiomyopathy and had his first heart transplant three years later in 1992. He had a heart attack in 2008 and required a second transplant. Compton still managed to make it to the PGA TOUR, and this year made it through two FedEx Cup playoff events.

"Through the help of family, doctors and friends, I have gone from being someone lying on his back in recovery to someone walking the fairways of the PGA Tour," Compton said. "Not only has playing on tour been a dream of mine, but it has also served greatly in the healing process. It has given me something to work toward, but also something to hope for. I'm incredibly grateful for this award and blessed to have the opportunity to be playing on the PGA Tour."

The award includes a $25,000 donation to the charity of the winner's choice. Compton said the money would be split between the Cardiovascular Institute of Miami and the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation.

• The PGA TOUR's Frys.com Open, part of the new 2013-14 wraparound season, will be held Thursday through Sunday at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, Calif. Scheduled to participate are Compton, Hudson Swafford, Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner and Brian Harman.

Top-Ranked Bulldogs Headed To Brickyard

The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday through Sunday at the Brickyard Collegiate Championship. Georgia has ascended to the nation's No. 1 spot in the Golfstat rankings and the No. 3 position in the Golfweek/Sagarin poll after winning the Dick's Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup and placing second in the Carpet Capital Collegiate.

The Brickyard Collegiate Championship will be played Friday through Sunday at the Brickyard at Riverside. The Bulldogs have enjoyed success at the Brickyard, claiming team titles in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. Georgia also boasts medalists in Harris English (2007), Macon native Russell Henley (2009, 2010) and Sam Straka (2012).

The Bulldogs will be using a lineup of seniors Michael Cromie and Joey Garber, junior Nicholas Reach, sophomore Lee McCoy and freshman Greyson Sigg. Georgia also will have five individuals in the field: senior Keith Mitchell, juniors Mookie DeMoss and Straka, and freshmen Parker Derby and Jaime Lopez Rivarola.

Joining the Bulldogs and co-host Mercer will be Georgia Tech, Florida State, Augusta State, Air Force, Boston College, Chattanooga, Furman, Georgia State, Gonzaga, Louisville, Princeton, South Florida and Virginia Tech.

• Three former Bulldogs — Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner and Hudson Swafford -- officially received their 2013-2014 PGA TOUR cards following the conclusion of the 2013 Web.com Tour season.

Todd and Kisner earned their cards by finishing among the top 25 in the regular-season money leaders. Todd came in 12th and Kisner placed 15th, with each boasting a regular-season victory. Swafford wound up 21st based on the season-ending, four-event Web.com Tour Finals as 25 additional cards were handed out.

The 50 who earned TOUR cards are eligible to begin their 2013-2104 seasons in two weeks in the Frys.com Open in California.

• During the Georgia-LSU game, Bubba Watson surprised his wife, the former Angie Ball, by endowing a women's basketball scholarship in her name. Angie was a four-year letterwinner for the Lady Bulldogs from 1996 through 1999.

• Before the game, Bubba joined "Duck Dynasty" buddy Willie Robertson as the celebrity pickers on ESPN's College GameDay set. As expected, Watson picked the Bulldogs and Louisiana native Robertson picked LSU.

• The golf recognitions at the game didn't end there. Former Bulldogs Harris English, Brian Harman and Russell Henley were introduced to the sell-out crowd.

• And in a pregame ceremony on the field, David Boyd, an All-America performer for the Georgia golf team and one of the program’s most ardent supporters, was recognized as the 2013 recipient of the Bill Hartman Award.

• On Friday at the Bulldog Lettermen's Tournament, Watson and David Miller (63) were the Scratch Division winners and Murray Calhoun and Walton Clarke (64) were the Net Division winners. The team of Watson-Miller defeated Franklin Langham and Paul Claxton in a playoff.

More than 60 letterwinners were on hand for the event. Photos from the day can be found here (the password is bulldog$).

• Georgia has added two more events to the 2014 portion its schedule. On April 5, the Bulldogs will play in the 36-hole Century/Old Oaks One Day in Purchase, New York, against host Yale and seven other schools. And on April 19, Georgia will play in Atlanta against Georgia Tech and Auburn (and possibly another school) at a site to be determined.

• The Bulldogs got an up-close look at the ESPN College GameDay set on Friday. Georgia's players also got to chat with ESPN personalities Scott Van Pelt, Samantha Ponder and David Pollack.